This invention has to do with the traditional Chinese wok which heretofore has been manipulated over an open flame. The wok is a concavo-convex dish-shaped cooking vessel or frying pan of round and shallow configuration with a radially disposed handle. The wok is used for high heat stir-fry cooking with the use of oils in the preparation of vegetables, and meats with a wide variety of condiments. Originally, a tall and hot wood fired flame was provided, over which the wok was held in order to intensely heat its center bottom portion, the fire spilling upwardly from its perimeter and discharged into the surrounding atmosphere. Modernly however, cooking ranges are provided for this purpose, particularly for the preparation of stir-fry foods in restaurants. These cooking ranges have been wood fired and now preferably gas fired, and characterized by a multiplicity of flame openings. It is significant that the flame source has been at a substantial depth below a support aperture for the wok, in each instance. This depth has been traditional so that the wok is heated by a tall hot flame. In practice, using a gas fired burner, said burner and emanating flame has been surrounded by a cylindrical collar open bottom to top as a chimney, the top having a circular rim for supporting the wok bottom. Accordingly, various ways have been devised to prevent stifling of the flame; one of which is the provision of upstanding pegs that prevent closure of the collar; another which is the provision of an angular support ring (or partial ring) that ensures the escape of flames from at least one side of the collar; another which is the provision of side ports below the top rim of the collar to permit the escape of flames when the wok closes the collar; and still another which is the provision of a notch-shaped vent opening in the top rim that permits the escape of the flames to one side when the collar is closed by the wok.
The wok ranges of the type under consideration are characterized by the discharge of flame and the presence of radiant heat, in great amounts. Consequently, the use of multi flame openings, or burners, becomes a problem since the working of one adversely affects the other. That is, the cook person has problems due to unbearable heat emanating from adjacent flame openings, or burners. As a result, wok ranges have resorted to largeness and have been cumbersome in order to widely space the flame openings; and the tops of such ranges have resorted to water cooling. For example, a gas fired range with three flame openings, or burners, will be typically ten to twelve feet in length. The great disadvantage of the prior art wok ranges is that they discharge the combusted flame gases into the atmosphere from the perimeters of the woks. It is significant that the flame induction of the prior art has been within the collar and below the wok bottom. Significantly, it is a general object of this invention to shut off the combusted gases at the top of the aforesaid collar and divert them below the top of the range and to a remote flue that discharges away from the cooking area. It is also an object of this invention to extend the flue induction effect by closing said collar with the wok, whereby the height of the collar is reduced, bringing the burner close to the wok for heat use efficiency.
Heretofore, the flame source burner collar of wok ranges has been terminated at or above the plane of the range top, and this feature has required the provision of the aforesaid pegs, supports, ports and vent notches for the escape of the burning gases. Typically, the collar opens above the range top with a notch in the collar for the flame to escape at the back side away from the cook person. This arrangement has been thought to be satisfactory for wok collars working side by side, but is highly unsatisfactory for one wok collar working behind another. However, it is an object of this invention to work one wok collar behind another, without subjecting the cook person to unbearable heat. With the present invention the gases of combustion are vented away beneath the range top and do not emanate from beneath the wok; only unless the wok is lifted from the burner collar. In practice, the aforesaid collar opening or notch is immediate to the top of the range and contiguous to the bottom of the wok when it is seated on the otherwise open top of the burner collar. Characteristically, the burner collar of this wok range terminates at or below the range top or deck, there being no obstruction on the deck plane.
With the present invention, each burner collar is conspicuous only by a circular opening in the deck plane of the range, an opening from which the burner flame emanates only when the wok is absent. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to vent the gases of combustion from the top side opening of the burner collar and divert them to a flue where they are drafted by thermal conduction to an exhaust. In practice, this venting away of gases to a flue provides the induction that supplies secondary air to the bottom open end of the burner collar. It is another object of this invention to baffle each burner collar so that its burnt gases are diverted into an effective flue. In practice, a single flue is shared by several burner collars, or a single flue serves a single burner collar, as may be required. A characteristic feature of this burner collar is that the burner is disposed below the top deck of the range where the wok is supported, and the burnt gases of combustion are vented away from beneath said top deck.
The wok range of the present invention is characterized by the absence of heat discharged from its top deck when the wok or woks are in working position. It is an object of this invention to add a front to back relationship of two working woks, without interference of one with the other. This front to back relationship is in addition to the conventional side to side relationship, and is shown herein as a four burner collar range wherein the back burner collars are raised. That is, the top deck is stepped or tiered as shown. In practice, the handles of the woks working on the upper deck can overlie the woks working on the lower deck, and all of which can be manipulated independently. The wok range illustrated herein is 24 inches wide and 30 inches deep, and adapted to accommodate four 12 inch diameter woks.
It is still another object of this invention to provide deck cooling for reducing heat radiation that would be unbearable to the cook person. In accordance with this invention, the secondary air induction into the burner collars is substantially less than the surrounding ventilation air, all of which is induced to exhaust by means of the flue or flues. This ventilation air reduces the top deck temperature and thereby minimizes radiation of heat from the range top surrounding the burner collar openings.